Ministers stay silent on penalty rate cuts

Ministers stay silent on penalty rate cuts – March 2017 (PDF version)

State Government ministers on Tuesday repeatedly refused to rule out any future cuts to penalty rates for NSW public servants.

Questioned on the floor of Parliament, Minister for Corrections, David Elliott; Minister for the Environment, Gabrielle Upton; and Minister for Family and Community Services, Pru Goward, all refused to guarantee penalty rates for public servants such as correctional officers, national park rangers and community workers, many of whom are obliged to work nights and weekends.

Ministers criticised the Opposition’s line of questioning, rather than letting the state’s workers know they were safe from future pay cuts.

The questions from the Opposition were prompted by a recent decision by the Fair Work Commission to reduce penalty rates for workers in the retail and hospitality industries.

“The State Government needs to assure its staff the penalty rates they earn for working anti-social hours are protected,” says PSA General Secretary Stewart Little.

“Many workers in hospitality and retail will soon take home smaller pay packages thanks to cuts to penalty rates, and our members in places like the state’s prisons, national parks and community facilities need assurances they are not next in line.”

See PSA General Secretary Stewart Little talk about what penalty rates mean for many of our members HERE.

Sign the PSA’s online petition HERE to protect penalty rates for NSW workers.